Spring Formal takes us back to Old Hollywood

The theme for this year’s spring formal was Old Hollywood, which included poker tables, a red carpet and fruit flavored drinks served in wine glasses to complete the look. The event was held at the Amway Grand Hotel on Saturday, March 2. Third-year student Anna Knoll said, “The venue was breathtakingly beautiful. I loved the ‘cocktails.’ It was a nice touch.”

Annie Mas-Smith, assistant director of campus involvement & leadership, said just over 400 tickets were sold, including both pre-sale tickets and at-the-door sales. She also noted that while underclassmen mainly attended the fall formal, the spring formal had a better mix of all the classes because many of upperclassmen wanted to celebrate their last semester at Calvin. Smith works hard to make sure that the formal was attractive for students of all grade levels.

Calvin’s first ever spring formal was held in 2012 and has been held every March since then. Calvin’s Nite Life is in charge of planning the event each year. Nite Life says that they plan for the event months in advance and spend lots of time coming up with a theme. Previous themes included “The Great Gatsby,” “Alice in Wonderland” and a Masquerade formal. Nite Life tries to choose themes that are manageable and enjoyable for students.

First-year student Kaila Fleenor said, “I loved the Old Hollywood theme. It worked so perfectly with the elegance of the Amway Grand Hotel. It was a ton of fun to get dressed up with my friends and feel extra fancy for the night.”

A photobooth was set up for pictures, complete with many different props. Students also took photos in the Amway’s picturesque lobby before the dance started. A macaroni and cheese bar was also available for students to get food throughout the night. Many students who attended danced to the music, which included the Jonas Brothers’ new song “Sucker,” “Africa” by Toto and the Cupid Shuffle.

Smith concluded by saying, “Nite Life loves to serve the student body by providing fun, affordable weekend events. We are always open to new and creative ideas and love student input and feedback.”